Paul Strand : essays on his life and work /

Paul Strand (1890-1976) was a major American photographic and film artist during his lifetime. His six published books, including Time In New England (1950), are classics of the genre of combining photographs and text. Also a filmmaker, his 1921 work made with Charles Sheeler, titled Manhatta, is considered the first genuine avant-garde film produced in the US. This book of 26 critical, biographical, and remembrance essays was published to coincide with various other activities celebrating the centennial of Strand's birth. Written by several leading academics, historians, critics, and fellow photographers, the essays run in length from a few pages to sometimes more than 15. Many are illustrated with the artist's photographic works. Alan Trachtenberg (American studies at Yale) introduces the book and outlines the general subjects from aesthetics to Marxist politics, from personal relationships to camera technique. While several of the essays are of marginal interest, many are truly substantial, representing new scholarship, and add to the critical literature on Strand. As a whole, the book is well produced in a handsome, readable format. Extensive notes; bibliography; narrative chronology. Recommended for upper-division undergraduates.